Grinding, smoothing, and polishing apparatus



P. DRYON 1,864,894

GRINDING, SMOOTHING, ,AND POLISHING APPARATUS June 28, 1932.

Filed April TIE " IllnI1:!l1Ill/Illllllllllllllillillllll Patented June 28, 1932 PATENT OFFICE PAUL DRYON, OF AUVELAIS, BELGIUM GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND POLISHING APPARATUS Application filed April 8, 1929, Serial No. 353,608, and. in Belgium June 22, 1928.

This invention relates to apparatus and method for grinding, smoothing and polishing plate glass, sheet glassor other materials, in which the tables supporting the pieces to be treated travel continuously below revolving tools carried by cross-beams which can be displaced by an alternating movement transversely to the direction of travelof the tables. It relates specially to the manner of supporting the ends of said cross-beams, and the motion imparted thereto for securing a uniform relative motion between the tools and the tables.

According to the invention, these supports are movable in the direction of the movement of the tables; and in order to move the tools according to the state of their dressing and wear, the invention proposes to move the supports at the end of each cross-beam simultaneously in the direction of the travel of the tables.

In order to increase the width of the zones treated by each tool and to equalize the work of the tools by imparting to them as far as possible an irregular motion, the invention also proposes to move the supports for the ends of each cross-beam simultaneously in opposite directions, in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of the tables.

To enable these movements to be efiected, said supports consist, for instance, of a carriage which can move parallel to the direction of travel of the tables, said carriage carrying a slide block which can move transversely to the direction of the tables, said slide block carrying a frame which can pivot on itself, and said frame supporting the end of a cross-beam. Preferably, roller-guides are interposed between the different members which constitute these supports.

The motion to displace the supports is communicated by a member connected with said carriage.

Further details and characteristics of the invention will become apparent in the course of the description of the drawing accompanying the present specification, and which show diagrammatically, by way of example, one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of an apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly broken off, of the support for the end of a cross-beam. Referring to Fig. 1, same shows tables 2 carrying the pieces to be treated and travelling continuously in the direction of the arrow X. These tables pass underneath crossbeams 3 which have an alternating motion in the direction of the arrow Y, imparted by the usual independent or collective mechanisms. These beams carry the usual rotary tools which rotate round a vertical axis driven in any suitable manner. For the sake of clearness of the drawings, the various mechanisms which cause the travel of the tables and the motion of the beams and tools are not shown.

According to the invention, the support 4 of the ends. of the cross-beam 3 can move parallel to the tables 2. This motion can be effected, for instance, by uniting the consecutive supports 4 by means of connecting rods 10 actuated in any suitable manner. The supports 4 move on guides 5 fixed parallel to the rolling path of the tables.

To allow the tools to be displaced in regard to the tables, in proportion to their dressing and their wear, the invention proposes to move the supports 4 of the ends of each crossbeam simultaneously and continuously or intermittently in the direction of the travel of the tables. It is evident that this continuous or intermittent movementof the cross-beams, parallel to the arrow X, takes place at a much slower speed than that of the tables 2.

To increase the'width of the bands treated by each tool, the invention proposes to move the supports of the ends of each beam in opposite directions, in a direction parallel to 90 the direction of the travel of the tables. The two cross-beams shown on the left-hand side of Fig. 1 have been moved in the manner just described. They form an angle or with the line indicating the transverse direction of 95 travel of the table, after which they will be moved into the position shown in dot and dash lines, so as to form an angle a on the other side of the above mentioned transverse direction.

The invention also proposes that the movement Which may be imparted to the supports of the ends of the cross-beams will vary from one side of the tables to the other, so as to render the movement of the beams quite universal.

To enable ,all these movemnts .to be obtained,-the invention proposes that said supports include advantageously a carriage 14 (Fig. 2) which can move by means of Wheels 15 on guides 5 consisting of rails.

To enable all the required movements to be obtained, each aforesaid supporting carriage 14 carries a slide block 16 bymeans of rolling guides such as'the rollers 16a, heldin positlon by stops =18, WhichalloW-the block 16to'move in thedirection ojfthe arrow Y, With respect toathe carriage l4. '1 his movement in the di rection ofithe arrow :Y is necessaryduring the alternating movement imparted in ,opposite directions tothe ends of the beams 3, sothat the part-of the support on which the end of thebeams rests, remains :always in a .mean position on same.

To allow the above mentioned oscillating movement, the slideblock 16 carries, by means of a central pivot i165 and ball bearings 16d, a itrame 1'7 on Which the end of the beam3 erests by 'means ofrolling guidessuch as the rollers 17a. The movement of the beams 3 in respect to the frame L7 @in thedirection 011": athearroW X is prevented, because the side webs of said beams pushagainstirollers 17?) carried by the frame 17.

It iszevident that the invention is not exclusively limited :to the structure shown and that many alterations may :be :made in 'the shape, the arrangement :and #the construction of :the members utilized in :the :present embodiment Without exceeding the .scope of the invention. It results from What iprecodes that :it .is possible to place the crossbeams in a very great number of positions and that if desired these cross-ibeams may be maintained in Whatever position is considered as advantageous.

In certain positions of the cross-beams, the tools may have a better'work than' in other positions.

It the cross-beams are maintained obliquely, the distance between the axes of the tools may be greater and consequently the tools ma-y'have a larger diameter.

hat I claim is:

1. A method of grinding,'smoothing and polishing plate or sheet glass or other ma terials, consisting in "tran slating said materials, in reciprocating polishing tools transversely to the direction of said movement of translation, and in varying the distances between the axes of the zones Worked by the tools.

2. A method of grinding, smoothing and polishing plate or sheet glass or other materials, consisting in translating said mathe ends of said beams inopposite directions parallel to the direction of the said movement of translation.

at. A method of grinding, smoothing and .polishingplate-or sheet glass orother materials, consisting in translating said materials, :an rec procating pollslnng tools mounted-on beams transversely to the'direction of'said movement of translation, and in displacing the'ends of beams of unequalquantities parallel to the direction-of said movementof translation.

PAUL D-RYON. 

